Police: man strikes child over televisionDemontre L. Duncan, 24, was arrested after allegedly striking a 9-year-old boy in the face for trying to turn on a children's show on the television. Russellville police responded to a call on Nov. 28 on the 700 block of East F Street. The caller told dispatch Duncan had struck her son. When the arresting officer arrived on scene, he saw a female standing next to a child. The child had tissues in his nose and the officer saw blood on the tissu...

by
BY TRAVIS SIMPSON
simpson@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Breakfast with Santa at SequoyahThe Circle of Friends Arkansas River Valley Chapter will host their annual Breakfast with Santa fundraiser at Sequoyah Elementary in Russellville. Circle of Friends (COF) is a statewide volunteer group comprised of numerous chapters across the state with one goal in mind — to help the Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH) through fundraisers and activities. CaraJean Loyd, COF Arkansas River Valley chair, said COF has conducted Breakfast with Sant...

Clarksville mumps test positiveThe Clarksville School District has one employee who works in the junior high school lab who has tested positive for mumps. Superintendent Dr. David Hopkins said the employee was first diagnosed over the Thanksgiving break with mumps without the school’s knowledge. Through social media, the school was alerted and contacted the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) for proper steps of action to take. According to Hopkins, the employee was sent fo...

Body of boater recovered from Arkansas RiverAt approximately 4 p.m. on Thursday the Yell County Mounted Patrol, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and Yell County Search and Rescue Dive Team recovered a body from a search and rescue call that began on the Arkansas River in Dardanelle on Wednesday. The original call to 911 dispatch on Wednesday, according to Dardanelle Detective Thurmon Lunsford, was reported by a caller claiming they saw an overturned boat near the boat ramp at Veterans ...

ASP investigate officer involved shooting on Morgan Road in DoverStory has been updated with the name of the man who was shot: http://bit.ly/2h2MvAz The Pope County Sheriff’s Department requested the Arkansas State Police to investigate a shooting incident involving deputies and a local resident Thursday afternoon. At approximately 3:10 p.m. Pope County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a call of an armed disturbance at 2213 Morgan Road in the Dover community. On their arrival, deputies were confronted by an ...

Community CarolingTonight is the night. Directly after the Christmas Parade Connect Church musicians will be leading Community Caroling at Depot Park downtown. After you have watched the parade make your way over to sing along and enjoy hot chocolate and cookies.

Trout Day 2016The CADDIS Fly Fishing Club, Russellville Recreation and Parks Department and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) are again partnering to bring seasonal trout fishing to Russellville. The AGFC will stock Pleasant View Park pond with 1,200 Rainbow Trout, and Trout Day 2016 will take place from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday. This will be an opportunity for folks of all ages to "Catch a Limit of Trout in Russellville". The AGFC Family and C...

Stomp out MGThe Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) will host a MG Walk fundraiser at 10 a.m. Saturday at Lake Dardanelle State Park. Registration is free but walkers are encouraged to help raise funds for the cause. This year the MGFA is honoring Vickie Henderson as the Arkansas Local Walk Hero. Prior to the event Henderson will speak about her experience with Myasthenia gravis (MG), a weakening of the skeletal muscles. MG is an incurable neur...

by
BY EMILY SRADER
newsclerk@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Dover run-off election resultsThe unofficial election results, as reported by Pope County Election Commission on Tuesday for the 2016 General Election Run-off for the Dover Alderman Ward 2 Position 2 in Pope County, are as follows: Councilman Fred Standridge garnered 37 votes and Brian Anderson received 20. There were a total of 57 votes cast for the Dover Alderman run-off election.

by
Courier Staff ReportsThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Consumer alertLITTLE ROCK -- New smartphones are released every few months, and many Arkansans upgrade their current phones with the newest products. But before you make the switch, it is important to clear all data and personal information from old phones before recycling, selling or returning the old phone to the provider. Oftentimes, personal information can be left on cellphones, making it easy for identity thieves to find your personal and financial in...

Tis the Season this weekendThe biennial "Tis the Season" production is on this year, and will show at The Center for the Arts at Russellville High School at 7 p.m. Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday. LeAnne Colvin, production manager, said the board wanted to emphasize local musicians and talents in this year's show. "I can't say how excited we all are," Colvin said. This year's production will host River Valley natives Cody Belew, Keely Futterer, Katy Brockinton and Arkansa...

by
BY SIERRA MURPHY
murphy@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Suspects crash after fleeingAccording to a news release, the Russellville Police Department responded at approximately 6:47 a.m. Wednesday to a report of shots fired involving a stolen vehicle at the 1200 block of East "E" Street. Officers determined shots were fired at a male victim before two suspects fled in a black passenger car. Officers located the suspected vehicle near the intersection of State Highway 7 south and Lock and Dam Road and attempted to conduct a traf...

by
Courier Staff ReportsThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

River search seeks boaterDARDANELLE — The Dardanelle Police Department received a call at approximately 3 p.m. on Tuesday that a boat had flipped over on the Arkansas River and someone was swimming, attempting to get back to the boat, according to Detective Thurmon Lunsford. The call was treated as a search and rescue with the Yell County Mounted Patrol Search and Rescue, Yell County Sheriff’s Office, Yell County Dive Team, Dardanelle Police Department and the Arkansa...

Man arrested in bleach incidentDavid F. Utley, 52, was arrested on Nov. 27 after Pope County Sheriff's Deputies responded to a disturbance with injury in the area of 2900 SR 164. Dispatch advised that the victim had been struck in the head with a metal object and was bleeding, a second victim had bleach thrown in her eyes and the suspect, Utley, left the scene but was hiding in the woods behind the residence. When the officer arrived, Pope County EMS was already on scene ev...

by
BY TRAVIS SIMPSON
simpson@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Suspect search still onOfficials say the search for a man who attempted to rob the River Town Bank on Union Street in Dardanelle Friday morning continues, with aid from concerned citizens and other law enforcement agencies. Dardanelle Police Chief Montie Sims said the Dardanelle Police Department (DPD) is working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) robbery unit out of Little Rock and the Arkansas State Police Criminal Investigation Division in tracking do...

by
BY SIERRA MURPHY
murphy@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Planning Commission OKs rezoneAt its November meeting, the Russellville Planning Commission approved the rezoning and expansion of Iglesia Pentecostal Unida Church and passed previously tabled agenda items. The rezoning of the establishment took Iglesia Pentecostal Unida Church from an industrial site to a commercial site, which James Walden, urban planning manager representing Garver (an engineering, planning and environmental service firm) said is better suited for that ...

by
BY SIERRA MURPHY
murphy@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

RHS Band wins Blue Ribbon AwardThe National Band Association (NBA) recently awarded the Russellville High School Cyclone Band the 2016 Programs of Excellence Blue Ribbon Award for the Southwest Division. The Cyclone Band is also a National Finalist for this award. To be considered for this award, a group has to demonstrate excellence in music education over a minimum of a four year time period. The history of the program, judges' critique sheets, recordings, ratings of solo...

The Arkansas River Valley lost a true purveyor of public opinionThe Arkansas River Valley lost a true purveyor of public opinion with the untimely death of Bill Newsom. Always alert to Local, State, and National events, he carefully balanced each. His favorite was reporting on local concerns. Some times agreeing, and some times disagreeing with local leaders, he was not bashful to put his valuable two cents worth into the discussion. Regardless of others opinions, he did his best to help shape public opini...

Tech agriculture students to sell poinsettiasTHE COURIER / Joshua Mashon Poinsettias for sale Arkansas Tech University Agriculture Education major Deonté Hawkins (left) puts the final touches on a poinsettia Tuesday morning with the rest of his classmates in the Plant Propagation class. Students from the ATU Department of Agriculture will put their fall semester work on display during a poinsettia sale at the Arkansas Tech Greenhouses on Thursday and Friday. Poinsettias will be available...

Dardanelle Tree LightingTHE COURIER / Patricia Spears The Dardanelle High School band and choir performed at Dardanelle's Tree Lighting Ceremony on Tuesday evening in front of the gazebo on Front Street. Santa Claus was in attendance to hear children's Christmas wishes as they enjoyed hot chocolate and cookies.